Waiting For You
by WritinginCT
Summary: The relative calm Post-Continuum at the SGC gives Sam and Cam time to try and have a personal life. As they spend time together as friends one of them finds out that the other has been harboring feelings that were thought to be long gone. Sam/Cam


Title: Waiting For You  
Author: CJ aka WritinginCT  
Fandom: Stargate SG-1  
Pairing: Samantha Carter/Cameron Mitchell  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Vague references to a post Continuum SGC  
Categories: Romance  
Disclaimer: I don't own the recognizable characters I'm just inspired by them. Hopefully they've had fun playing in my sandbox.  
Status: complete 10/31/08 4005 words  
Notes: Written for the LJ sg_rarepairings ficathon for lizardbeth_j  
Prompt: Sam/Cameron. Wants Continuum-based or Sam coming back from Atlantis, tentative (re)discovery of romantic feelings, motorbikes. Does not want aliens made them do it or any other artificial, external means of getting together  
Beta: Huge, HUGE thanks to my fantastic beta, dragojustine . I so owe her cookies!!!  
Summary: The relative calm Post-Continuum at the SGC gives Sam and Cam time to try and have a personal life. As they spend time together as friends one of them finds out that the other has been harboring feelings that were thought to be long gone. Can they get past a defining moment from early on in their lifelong friendship and allow themselves to be happy?

--

_For all the things that never died... -Chris Daughtry_

--

"Hey! Headin' out?" Cam asked as he met up with Sam at the elevator. She was in her civvies and had a laptop slung over her shoulder.

"Yeah. General Landry evicted me from my lab and told me he didn't want to see me until Monday." Sam made a silly face that got a chuckle out of Cam. She looked so young and carefree doing it that he flashed back to another time and place, back to when she had her hair in pigtails and was his best friend on the base where both of their fathers were stationed. Back to a time when his nine year old self had fallen head over heels in love for the very first time with his best friend, and back to a time when that same best friend had unknowingly given him his very first broken heart.

Cam quickly tucked that memory away before the twinge of want and regret could show on his face and replied with forced lightness, "Me too. But I'm not complaining. Weather's supposed to be gorgeous and you know I've got that new toy of mine to play with."

Sam smiled widely at the mention of his new toy. "Only you would call that Harley a toy."

There was a playfulness in Cam's eyes at her teasing and she thought about the impromptu road trip up to Denver a few weeks ago that he had dragged her along on so she could inspect the beautifully restored Harley with him before he bought it. It had been an enjoyable day, full of teasing and companionship. They had cranked the radio up in the car and sang along badly to old favorites blaring on the classic rock station as Cam's lead foot kept the speedometer much more than a little past the posted limits. After she had combed over every inch of the motorcycle and pronounced it near perfect, Cam had paid the man and arranged to have it dropped off at his home in the Springs. Their drive home was just as loud and fast with the only difference being that this time it was her lead foot on the accelerator. Cam had treated her to dinner and beer and claimed to have let her beat him at pool. She remembered thinking that when he dropped her off at home it had felt like the end of a perfect date and all that was missing was a smoldering good night kiss to cap it all off. But she hadn't let herself linger on that thought because it hadn't been a date no matter how warm the kiss on the cheek was that he gave her.

"Well you know what they say about boys and their toys..." Cam teased back.

--

Bright and early the next morning as Sam was enjoying her morning coffee in her pajamas, her phone rang.

Without so much as a "good morning" Cam offered, "Come riding with me today. It's beautiful out."

He was so wide awake and chipper that Sam almost couldn't deal with him quite yet, at least not until she finished her first cup of coffee for the day. But there was also something infectious about his eager demeanor and she found herself agreeing to be ready to go with in the hour.

They chalked up another truly enjoyable day as they wove their motorcycles on the twisty mountain roads. And later on, Sam felt again that their day together should have ended with a real good night kiss instead of the little peck on her cheek from Cam after he had walked her to her door. She found it disconcerting.

Sam tried to analyze her feelings as she lay in bed watching the stars through her window. Cam was her oldest friend. When they had met as kids they didn't immediately click; she had been the epitome of an independent tomboy and Cam had wanted to play the role of her protector, having been raised to respect and take care of girls. But after a few blistering "girls can do anything boys can do" lectures Cam had learned and found himself an able partner in crime.

Sam smiled in the dark. Those had been happy times. But somewhere along the line Cam's feelings of friendship had turned into something else. And she remembered so clearly the day it all had changed. They had climbed very high up into a tree in Sam's backyard so they could see the jets taking off and landing on the airfield a couple of miles away. After one take-off Cam had turned to her with a big grin and said, _"I'm gonna fly them jets someday, Sam. And I'm gonna be an officer like my daddy and I'm gonna marry you and build us a big ol' house with a barn for you to build stuff in." _ To say that Sam had been shocked was an understatement; she had almost fallen out of the tree. And in her general matter-of-fact way she had informed him, _"I'm gonna fly those jets too, Cam. And I'm gonna be an astronaut. I don't know if I want to get married. And you're my best friend why would I marry you? You don't marry your friends, silly."_

Even now, after all the years, Sam could still picture the hurt look on his face. He hadn't said a word, simply climbed down and went home. She hadn't seen him for a few days after that, and when she finally did he was back to just being her friend and the incident was never mentioned again. And then Cam's life had changed drastically a couple of months later when his father's plane had gone down and his father had lost his legs. The Mitchells had packed up and headed home to Kansas. But the two had stayed close.

As Sam drifted off to sleep, she wondered if in some alternate reality her ten year old self hadn't said those words that day and Cam _had_ married her and built them a "big ol' house".

--

With the Goa'uld and the Ori gone, life at the SGC was fairly quiet. Missions were still dangerous and there were still conflicts out there in the galaxy, but the immediate feeling of impending doom wasn't hanging over their heads. Sam had time to devote to research and catching up on all of the technical writing she hadn't had time to do since joining the Stargate program. The quiet also meant that SG-1 actually had time to have some semblance of a personal life. But as Sam had discovered a long time ago, she wasn't really good at that and fell back to spending all of her free time holed up in her lab. She didn't have to think about being lonely or the "what could have beens" with her mind occupied by technical puzzles.

Cam, on the other hand, seemed to be thriving in the current environment. The missions were still exciting enough to keep him eager about the job and energized. And his persistent lighthearted demeanor seemed to indicate that his personal life was doing just fine.

It was Daniel that brought up Sam's behavior one day at lunch with Mitchell and Teal'c. "When was the last time you guys saw Sam go home?"

When they realized with concern that it had been almost two weeks Cam took point and said he'd talk to her.

He knew her well enough to know that the direct approach wasn't going to work, so instead he stuck his head in her lab casually and asked off hand, "You up for a ride tomorrow?"

Sam looked up from what she was working on and blinked. It took a moment for her to parse what he had said, and then she smiled. "Yeah, some fresh air would be good."

Cam nodded and gave her a little wink before leaving her to get back to work. Mission accomplished.

--

Cam was flipping through his mail putting the important stuff in a pile and the junk mail into the trash, when the mouthwatering photo on the cover of a gourmet magazine that should have been in his neighbor's mailbox and not his, caught his attention. The picture of an elegant roast had made him hungry and he had found himself perusing the recipe for it with interest, a plan forming in his mind.

Sam had just picked up the menu to call for a pizza when her doorbell rang. She opened it to see Cam standing here with a couple of grocery bags in hand. He took one look at the menu in her hand and said, "Put that thing away. We're cooking dinner."

"We are?" she asked as they headed for the kitchen.

"Yep. Got the recipe right here, courtesy of my neighbor." He pulled the magazine out of one of the bags and explained about its wrong delivery and how his neighbor told him to keep it when he tried to return it to her.

Sam glanced over the fairly complicated recipe and asked skeptically, "Have you ever actually made anything like this before?"

He pretended to think hard about her question for a moment then grinned. "No. But we have a recipe with pictures, Sam. How hard can it be?"

They found out two hours later when the pan, along with the roast and potatoes permanently fused to it, went out into the trash can and a pizza was ordered.

They tried many other recipes in their continuing culinary adventures to varying degrees of success. And they both found it nice to have something other than work to talk and laugh about at the lunch table with their teammates.

Their cooking attempts lead them to other activities. They sought out little gourmet shops and tried small hole in the wall restaurants for inspiration. Places that Sam must have passed a thousand times but taken for granted in all the time she had lived in the Springs.

As time when on, their time spent together became more and more domestic. Most people seeing them out shopping together just assuming they were a long standing couple. They had a comfort and ease with each other that only came about through time.

And because they had become so domestic it didn't come as any great surprise when he stopped by her lab one afternoon to ask her about an invitation they had both received.

"So, you planning on going to Johnstone's wedding?" Cam asked as he stood should to shoulder with her and fiddled with a pair of wire cutters on her worktable.

"Yeah. It should be fun. His future in-laws are going all out. I heard three hundred and fifty people at last count."

He grinned, "I'm thinking there's something to be said for eloping."

Sam laughed, "Or at the very least a _small_ wedding. Geez, I can't even imagine inviting that many people. But I think it'll be fun."

Cam turned his attention back to the widgets on her worktable and without looking at her, "So... you got a date yet?"

Sam gave him a puzzled look. "No."

He fiddled with a spool of wire and asked sheepishly, "Do you wanna date?"

Sam shook her head and smiled. She nudged his shoulder with hers and teased, "Well you know I am a sucker for a man in a suit and tie..."

--

The wedding was being held in a posh mountain resort that the bride's parents had rented out for the event, and Sam and Cam's rooms were across the hall from each other. Cam tugged at his jacket a final time and rolled his shoulders before knocking on Sam's door. When she opened it and he saw her standing there in a powder blue low-cut silk dress that accentuated every curve it took him a moment to remember how to think. "You look... ah..."

She shot him an amused look and teased, "That bad huh?"

The simple ceremony was held in the huge atrium of the resort and the bride was beautiful. Cam saw Sam drop her eyes to her lap with a sad little look as the couple said their vows. Though he didn't know exactly what she was thinking he gently reached over and gave Sam's hand a little squeeze.

The reception was an amazing party. They mingled and caught up with old friends. Several elderly women tried to play match maker once they discovered that Cam wasn't married. He took all their efforts with good humor and gave them all his standard answer that he was in fact married- to the Air Force.

Sam was in a little clutch of women, all of them laughing over some amusing anecdote. Cam was standing off near one of the windows near the bar just watching Sam when a gravelly voice interjected, "You got yourself a pretty girl there, son."

Cam turned to see a positively ancient man shuffling with the aid of a cane up to the bar, the chain of his old fashioned pocket watch clinking gently with each step. "She's not technically my girl, sir. Just my friend. My best friend, actually."

The old man chuckled, "I had a girl like that once."

Cam smiled. "Really?"

"Yep. Married her almost sixty-four years ago when the war ended. And she's still my best friend. That's her there," he pointed with a gnarled finger to a fragile looking woman with snow white hair and a sweet smile.

"If you don't mind my saying so, sir, you got yourself a pretty girl."

"Don't I know it. Now take some advice from an old man, there's no one better to marry than a friend."

And with that he took the glass of white wine the bartender had poured for him and shuffled back to place it carefully in front of his wife. Cam found that he had an odd little lump in his throat as he watched the old man sit down take her hand gently in his own.

He ordered a fresh drink and turned back to look out the window. A couple of minutes later he felt Sam's hand slip into his. And she said lightly, "Come dance with me."

He gave her a little sideways glance and smirked before teasing back, "Yes, ma'am."

And dance they did. Slow songs, fast songs, and of course the required silly dances that everyone knew that just had to be part of every wedding. Cam had just shook his head and deemed her hopeless after seeing her version of the YMCA. Her crisp and precise movements would have made a drill instructor proud. Payback was hers though when Cam and three other guys did their best John Travolta imitations to the band's version of "Staying Alive". Sam immediately began plotting where to hang the pictures at the SGC.

The evening had worn down and they were heading back to their rooms. Cam was humming along to the last song the band had played. When the elevator opened to their floor he playfully pulled Sam in to dance with him down the hall as he attempted to croon out "Mack the Knife". He was being totally silly and the worse he got the more she laughed. When they reached their rooms, he spun her around and dropped her down into a dip with a flourish. And without thinking, definitely without thinking, he closed the small space between their faces and kissed her gently.

The kiss was over almost before it began once he realized what he was doing. He stood them up and after clearing his throat, said quickly, "Goodnight, Sam." And, without waiting for her response or even to make sure she got into her room okay, he whipped out his key card and entered his own room.

He didn't get to see Sam standing there in the hallway with a wistful little look or the way her fingers went to her lips in disbelief. Cam had gotten out of his suit and into a pair of sweatpants and was lying in bed staring at the ceiling a while later when there was a knock on his door. He looked out of the peephole and saw Sam. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before opening the door.

He took in her appearance standing there in the hallway and had to chuckle. She was obviously ready for bed, wearing a tank top and a pair of thin cotton shorts. The tank top that read "geek" across it (a gift from Cassie) was almost chuckle worthy on its own but it was the sight of her feet swimming in huge purple woolly socks that did it for him.

Sam saw him looking at her feet and shrugged. "My feet get cold. Can I come in?"

He met her eyes but couldn't read what he saw in them. He stepped aside to let her in and closed the door behind her. He went to the mini-bar in the corner and, without even asking her if she wanted one, pulled out two beers and handed her one.

Cam knew he was in trouble when he caught sight of the determined look on her face when she took the beer. She didn't disappoint when she asked bluntly, "Why didn't you ever get married? And don't give me any of that bull about being married to the Air Force either."

"I don't know," he offered quickly and went to stare out the window at the night sky.

"Be honest, Cameron."

"You know why, Sam."

"But I don't. That's why I'm asking. I feel like I'm missing something important here."

Cam took a big drag off his beer and stood straight. He could see Sam's reflection in the window and his voice was low as he answered, "None of the girls I've dated measured up."

"You can't really expect anyone to measure up to your mom. She's one of a kind."

"Not my mother, Sam." He turned and his eyes found hers. "You. None of them measured up to... you."

Sam's face took on a look of pain. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

He turned back to the window. "I did once. But as I recall it didn't work out so well. Sam, I've been carrying a torch for you since I've been nine years old. And I decided a long time ago that if I couldn't have you then I didn't want anybody else."

"Cam..."

He raised a hand to cut off whatever it was that she was going to say. "Sam, I have accepted the fact that you and I are just friends and I'm praying that this doesn't make you uncomfortable."

Sam stepped up to stand beside him, gently tugged the beer bottle out of his hand, and placed the pair of them on the windowsill. "It doesn't make me uncomfortable. I just... I don't know what to say." She reached over and took his chin in her hand and turned him to meet her eyes. "I wish I could take back what I said that day in the tree. I never meant to hurt you."

"You were just being honest, Sam."

Cam had never been a man that hid his emotions well and Sam could see that his eyes were threatening to well at the memory of the old hurt. She stroked his cheek and, without hesitation, kissed him.

--

Dawn broke over the mountains and streamed into the room. Sam cracked and eye and groaned, waking Cam.

His heart threatened to pound its way out of his chest when she said quietly, "Okay, this is uncomfortable."

He inhaled deeply and said what he thought she needed to hear. "It's alright. It was a mistake. We had a little too much to drink and these things happen. We'll just forget all about it."

Sam grunted and pulled her arm out from underneath him and scooted up on the bed so she could see his face. "What are you talking about?"

Before he could answer her face scrunched up in pain and she frantically rubbed her arm. He stared for a minute trying to wake his brain up completely and asked, "What were _you_ talking about?"

Through gritted teeth she said, "My whole arm is pins and needles, my feet are cold and my socks are way over there, and you stole all the blankets. This is just not comfortable." Then with a smirk she leaned in and kissed him lightly and added, "Idiot."

"That I am, apparently. Can we just pretend I never said any of that?"

"On one condition."

"What's that?"

She gave him a cheesy smile and said, "Get my socks for me?"

--

The summer faded into fall and things between them were good. Actually they were better than good, but they didn't want to jinx themselves. They had decided to keep the extent of their relationship under wraps, which of course meant that everyone at the SGC knew about it. Repeatedly saving the world apparently had its perks though, as no one questioned them remaining on the same gate team or mentioned any sort of censure. Daniel suspected Jack's hand in that, but never let on.

The trees were all wearing their autumn best as Cam steered the motorcycle along one of their favorite winding back roads. Most of the time Sam would be riding along next to him on her own bike, but every once and a while, like today, she liked to ride behind him and plaster herself against his back instead.

He pulled off near one of their favorite hidden overlooks and they pulled off their helmets. Sam shook out her hair, the long locks still something that he was getting used to, and pointed to a familiar realtor's sign. It had been there for months advertising the mountainside acreage for sale and now it sported a big "sold" sign slapped over it. Sam frowned at it, and hoped that whoever had bought the land would leave it wild and not clear it.

She voiced her concern. "I hope who ever bought it doesn't clear all the trees."

Cam was looking down towards his boot and was worrying a small rock with his foot. He seemed uncharacteristically quiet and nervous, two things she normally wouldn't associate with Cam. He mumbled something in response that she didn't catch and she asked him to repeat it.

He swallowed nervously and met her eyes, "I said I don't plan to."

"You don't plan to?" she questioned.

"I bought the land, Sam."

"You bought it?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to surprise you. Sorta."

"Sorta?" Sam laughed.

The look on his face was almost painfully serious and he stuck his hands deep in his pockets as he said, "Here's the thing. I've flown all the jets and I'm an officer like my daddy and I bought the land to build us a big ol' house with a barn. I wanna marry you. And have a family with you. And grow old with you. I love you, Sam. I have since I was nine years old. So you either gotta marry me or shoot me and put me out my misery."

Cam had pulled his hand out his pocket and was holding a little black velvet box. Sam had accepted two other marriage proposals in her life. Both times she had hesitated to accept until she had analyzed them forwards and backwards and talked to herself about them to death. And neither relationship had worked out in the end. This time there was absolutely no hesitation on her part as she bit her bottom lip and nodded, before throwing her arms around Cam's neck and squeezing him for all she was worth.

As he squeezed her back he whispered hoarsely into her ear, "You remember asking me why I hadn't gotten married?"

She sniffled and said softly, "Yeah."

He squeezed her even tighter and replied, "I was waiting for you."

--

the end.


End file.
